so i was thinking...

1. A few days ago I was watching people remove snow from the streets and sidewalks. Zhenya told me that in Ukraine they don’t really have a snow removal system, salt, or even shovels to remove snow. Like in the states, as soon as the snow starts to stick the trucks are out plowing and you can get fined for not clearing your sidewalks. Not so in Ukraine. The snow/ice that was being swept and scooped up was about a week old. It was totally compacted so it was icy and brown. I wondered why they’d waited so long to do anything about it. If they’d done this the day it fell it would have been a lot easier. They do have these cool trucks that get the snow off the roads. But still, by the time the trucks come out the snow is a week old. I think I’m gonna move here and become a shovel saleswomen.

2. We went to TGI Friday’s a few days ago. Probably one of my least favorite restaurants in the states, but here it was great. Why is that?? Zhenya ordered this fruit drink and I ordered Diet Coke, well, Cola Light (not the same) His came full of crushed ice. I didn’t think this country had crushed ice! He saw me eyeing his drink so he let me eat some ice. Then he had the waitress bring me a cup full of it. It was fantastic. The fajitas were good too, but I woulda been happy with just ice. We’ll probably have to go back there a few times.

3. At church last week in Sunday school (I go to an English speaking International branch) the teacher asked us to think of bad things that are currently happening in the world and she was going to list them on the board. People immediately said things like, the war, fires, global warming, the big oil spill in Russia…the first thing that came to my mind was, the writer’s strike. I’m pretty up to date with world events and I don’t know why that popped into my head but I thought it was pretty funny. I didn’t say it out loud though, sometimes the filter between my brain to my mouth actually works and I don’t always say what I’m thinking. “Let there be peace on earth, and writers get back to work!” (Are they back yet?? I’m outta the loop.)

4. Christmas is over now, for most of the world. Here are some pictures of the eve and the day in Ukraine. On Christmas eve during the day Zhenya and I went sight seeing, shopping and then had lunch and this cute little restaurant. (I think I was colder this day than I’ve ever been in my whole life.) That night Bogdan took me to and ice skating show and then to dinner at TGI Friday’s. (Bogdan is Zhenya’s best friend, he’s rad.) I think I already talked about this stuff now that I think about it, but here are a couple pictures of lunch at Big Belly and the Brownie ingredients.

Ok, I'm done thinking.